NCC Introduces Innovative System to Combat Mobile Phone Scams

The Nigerian Communications Commission is set to launch a Telecoms Identity Risk Management System platform, aimed at combating SIM-related fraud and bolstering digital security, with the ultimate goal of strengthening confidence in Nigeria's digital economy, as announced by the Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, in Abuja on Thursday.

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Represented by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, Maida highlighted the significance of the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number, commonly referred to as a SIM or mobile phone number, which has become a crucial component in financial transactions, digital identity, and access to services.

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However, the widespread use of SIMs has also created vulnerabilities, with fraudulent activities linked to recycled, swapped, churned, and barred SIMs emerging as a major channel for identity theft and financial crimes, thereby weakening trust in digital platforms, according to Maida.

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Maida emphasized that the evolution of the SIM into a critical identifier has created new and challenging vulnerabilities, with the fraudulent use of churned, recycled, swapped, and barred MISISDN's becoming a significant vector for financial fraud and identity theft, eroding public trust in digital platforms.

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In response to these challenges, the Commission has initiated the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System Platform, which will enable service providers to verify mobile numbers flagged for suspicious or fraudulent activities before granting access, thereby reducing exposure to fraud and improving accountability.

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The system is expected to enhance coordination among regulators, financial institutions, and security agencies, ultimately building a more resilient digital ecosystem, with the Commission proposing amendments to its Quality of Service Business Rules and the Registration of Communications Subscribers framework to support the rollout.

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The proposed changes require telecom operators to notify subscribers at least 14 days before recycling their lines and to upload details of churned numbers to the platform within seven days, while also introducing stricter provisions for blocking fraudulently registered or misused SIMs.

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These amendments aim to improve transparency and protect consumers, with Maida stating that the initiative reflects the Commission's commitment to collaboration and a whole-of-government approach to addressing digital risks, urging stakeholders to actively contribute to shaping the framework.

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According to the Director of Cybersecurity and Internet Governance at the Commission, Olatokunbo Oyeleye, trust remains critical to the digital economy, emphasizing that digital trust is the operating licence of the modern economy, and without it, nothing scales, but with it, everything accelerates.

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Oyeleye noted that for the sector, this trust must be embedded across the entire value chain, highlighting the importance of trust in the digital economy.

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The NCC had earlier proposed that telecom operators must give subscribers a minimum of 14 days' notice before deactivating their SIM cards over inactivity or post-paid churn, as contained in a consultation paper titled Stakeholders Consultation Process for the Telecoms Identity Risks Management Platform, dated February 2026.

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The proposal, published on the Commission's website, includes amendments to the Quality-of-Service Business Rules, which state that operators must send a notification to the affected subscriber through an alternative line or an email on the pending churning of their line, at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number.

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A similar provision was proposed for prepaid subscribers, with the commission emphasizing that the notice shall be sent at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number, ensuring that subscribers are informed and prepared for the churning of their lines.